Alderwood takes the County for Tom Mullins

Tom Mullins recorded his first Cheltenham winner as his Alderwood (20/1) took the County Hurdle with Tony McCoy aboard for JP McManus.

Having met with interference on the home turn the son of Alderbrook done brilliantly to come through and score from the staying on Edgardo Sol back in second at 25/1.

It was the champion jockey's first win of the meeting but his chance might have gone rounding the home turn when he was squeezed for room on the rail, losing momentum.

However, McCoy got a nice tune out of the winner on the far side up the hill, the pair three-quarters-of-a-length clear of Edgardo Sol at the line.

The Edward O'Grady trained Sailors Warn looked a real danger up the stands' rail jumping the last but he had to settle for third with Gordon Elliott's Plan A back in fourth.

Via Galilei was fifth for Gary and Jamie Moore.

McCoy said: "It's great to have a winner at last.

"I rode him the last day (at Leopardstown) and he was going well until the second-last but then didn't finish as well as I'd have liked.

"I think he's had a fibrillating heart problem.

"He got murdered on the bottom bend but he was 20-1 so I was taking a few chances and hopefully he would keep going.

"It's great to ride a winner for my boss."